The Indian bowling department had another good show on day 1 of the second Border Gavaskar series as they bowled out the visitors for 263 runs in their first innings. The party started when Mohammad Shami showed his class with a 4-wicket haul, while the spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared spoiled with three wickets each.
But it was Ashwin whose spell defined the innings as he got the top two batters of the Australian side dancing and out, finishing with a spell of 3/57. In return, India’s Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul remained firm at 21 runs without loss at the close of play.
“They are the world’s best batters”-Gautam Gambhir
Ranked no.1 and no.2 in the world, Ravichandran Ashwin was praised by Gautam Gambhir for tricking and outplaying Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith, two of the best batsmen in the world.
“I will talk about Ravichandran Ashwin. He beat Steve Smith on the outside edge and Labuschagne on the inside edge from around the wicket. It is the quality of a bowler how he can test both the edges, and they are not tailenders, they are the world’s best batters.” said Gautam Gambhir.
“If you can have Steve Smith caught behind and beat Labuschagne on the inside edge, it shows how able a master is in his art and that is Ravichandran Ashwin.”he stated.
“Ashwin undercuts the ball and when you do that, you get a natural variation on the Indian wickets. Which ball will turn and which ball will go straight – the bowler himself does not know, and that is why it is even more difficult for the batters.” he added.
The Steven Smit-Ravichandran Ashwin Matchup
Ashwin caught Smith behind with a straighter one from around the wicket angle on duck, adding another small chapter in the ‘Steve-Ash rivalry. Steven Smith, who is arguably Australia’s biggest batter on field has been time and again been tested by Ashwin’s tactics.
This was the second time the off-spinner had uprooted the Test no. 2 batter on a duck, becoming the only bowler to do so in the longest format. He had also troubled Smith back in Australia getting him out thrice in the last series. This time however, the batter decided to come prepared as they appointed Baroda’s Mahesh Pithiya, resembling Ashwin ahead of the series. This time it was Indian who had the last laugh but the series still has a long way to go.